Monday, December 12, 2016

Words of Old at Christmastime: Cock-Crow at Christmas, William Shakespeare

Excerpt from "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare (1603)

HORATIO:

"And then it started like a guilty thing
Upon a fearful summons. I have heard,
The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,
Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat
Awake the god of day; and, at his warning,
Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,
The extravagant and erring spirit hies
To his confine: and of the truth herein
This present object made probation."

 
 
 

MARCELLUS:
 

"It faded on the crowing of the cock.
Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
The bird of dawning singeth all night long:
And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad;
The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,

So hallow'd and so gracious is the time."








Sharon M. Himsl

Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011. 
Published with Evernight Teen: 
~~The Shells of Mersing

4 comments:

  1. Simply wonderful to read Sharon, thanks.
    Yvonne.

    ReplyDelete
  2. From Shakespeare's Hamlet too. The birth of Christ continues to give the world pause all these years later.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is just beautiful...nought said!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad I found this little nugget :) I seldom read Shakespeare anymore.

      Delete

"Stay" is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary
(A.B. Alcott). Stay and visit awhile. Your comments mean a lot to me.

About Me

My photo
You could call me an eternal optimist, but I'm really just a dreamer. l believe in dream fulfillment, because 'sometimes' dreams come true. This is a blog about my journey as a writer and things that inspire and motivate me.